The Road Not Taken
by xcuddyismyidol21x
Summary: Elliot and Olivia switching POV from chapter to chapter, named after a famous poem by Robert Frost. It is about the decisions the two of them have to make in order to finally be where they were supposed to be all along..
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Welcome Home

His first day home. Elliot had finally moved back in with his family. They all sat in the living room talking, they way they did when the kids were younger. Everyone was so excited to have him back. Then his phone rang.

"Stabler," he answered, "Whoa, whoa, Liv, calm down. Where are you?" Kathy, Kathleen, Elizabeth and Dickey watched in curiosity, "Yes I am. It's fine, really. I'll be there in twenty minutes." He went to hang up then brought the phone back up to his mouth, "Oh and Olivia, don't do anything stupid."

Eight eyes stared back at him. He wasn't sure whether they were angry or upset. One thing he did know is that they didn't seem too surprised, "I'm sorry. I have to go."

He rushed into his car. Her words ran through his mind. He hadn't the slightest idea of what he was going to do when he got there. Well he had one idea, but Olivia would be mad if he beat up her brother. That bastard called her and arranged a meeting, then asked for her to help him hide from the police. She is the police! The rage built up inside of him, like a knot tightening in his stomach. It was his worst enemy. He just couldn't see her loosing her job and possibly going to jail to protect one of the scumbags she should be putting in handcuffs, regardless of the DNA they share.

He marched into the bar ready to snap someone's neck, until he saw her look up at him, sitting alone at a table slowly tapping her fingers. He walked over and sat across from her.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

A Real Family

Everytime she heard the slightest noise she looked up wishing it was Simon, but when she heard angry footsteps and the sound of the door bursting open she knew it could only be one person. Elliot. She saw the fire in his eyes, the fire she saw when he was talking to rapists, which technically he was coming to do. But suddenly the fire burnt out and he was him again. He walked over and sat across from her.

"So where is your lil' bro?"

She just stared at him, teary eyed and silent. He never came. She didn't want to say it; she didn't want to make it real. She didn't want to admit that he was guilty.

"I'm sorry," he said, reaching out and holding her hand, "come on, let's get out of here."

"I can't, I can't go because I will spend the rest of the day, the week, hell probably the rest of my life wondering if he just showed up late, if he really needed my help and I just left. You shouldn't have come here."

"Then why'd you call me?"

"Because I had no one else."

"Liv, I just don't understand how you can throw everything away for him. I know he's your brother but you only knew him for a month."

"And how long did it take for you to care about your kids, did you have to get to know them for a few years first. No, you knew the second they were born that you would kill for them, because they were family. Well that is exactly what I am doing now."

"What's funny is that I blew off my kids to come here. I always told myself that my family came first. And on my first day back home I leave within two hours of being there, do you know why? Because I finally realized that they aren't my only family. So I put you first. You say I love them simply because they are family, and maybe that is true. No matter how horrible they are, I just have to love them. But you, you are closer to me than anyone has ever been. You are my family because of who you are. And you care more about helping this loser than that."

"You have a family, all I have is you. All I have ever had is you. Now I have someone else, someone who I can love, someone who can love me unconditionally, why won't you let me have that?"

"Because I don't want you to get hurt. I don't trust him. I'm sorry, but I just, I can't watch you do this."

"Yeah well, you don't have to; turns out he doesn't want a family."

"I could use one."

"You have one," she looked down at her watch, "And they are probably waiting for you. It's your first day back, you shouldn't be here, with your kids. With your wife."

"What was your definition of family before, people who won't judge you? I may have 4 people waiting for me at home, but I only have one person like that."

She wanted to cry. To weep and fall into his arms, to tell him she needed him. But it was those 4 people that stopped him. No matter how she felt about Elliot, he was theirs, and she just wasn't that girl.

"Come on," he said, "Lets get out of here."

He put his arm around her and walked her out and into his car. Just before he started to drive away she spoke, "Wait. We are in a pretty goof place right now, you know we're close enough to call each other when something goes wrong, to bring each other coffee without having to ask, to know what the other is thinking even when they don't say it. And every time we get to that place something bad happens and we just start all over again."

"That isn't true."

"Yes it is, we either disagree on a case, or one of us says something stupid, or you know nearly shoots the other and asks to transfer to Computer Crimes."

Elliot laughed and added, "But after all of those things we find our way back here."

"Yeah, and the time in-between sucked! What I am trying to say is that I know you are pissed off about the whole Simon thing, and I keep pushing it. If it is somehow going to send me to Computer Crimes or Oregon or whatever, then I'll drop it."

"And what made you come to this conclusion?"

"You. You are my family. And I don't want to loose you."

"You won't," he reached over, interlocking his fingers in hers, and drove into the night.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Finally

When they pulled up to Olivia's apartment they were still holding hands. He felt her hand in his and never wanted to let go. They just sat there for a few minutes, completely silent. He waited, waited for her to say something, waited for her to let him in. He didn't want to sound forward, or to make her uncomfortable, but he wanted her.

"Walk me in," she said so faintly it was almost a whisper, and a smile stretched across his face.

When he woke up, she was in his arms. He laid there and watched her sleep for awhile, the small glimmer of sun shining in from the window seemed to dance in her hair; her face was flawless, and radiant. He could feel her soft skin on his. She was truly beautiful, never in his life had he been more sure of anything. He gently caressed her arm.

She yawned and looked up at him, her eyes glistening, "Good morning."

"Sorry, did I wake you up?"

"No. Besides, if you did it wouldn't be such a bad thing."

"Oh really, and why is that?"

"Well you know, there is no better place to wake up then in the arms of Elliot Stabler."

"I can think of one better place…"

"Where would that be?"

"In the arms of Olivia Benson."

She smiled, then leaned up and kissed him, as he rolled her over both of their pagers went off. "No, no, no. We are not answering that!" she said.

"My thoughts exactly."

Then, Elliot's phone started to ring, followed by Olivia's. They looked at each other and sighed, reaching for their phones. Elliot walked into the living room to answer his.

"Stabler. Okay we'll be right there," he realized he'd made a mistake, unfortunately so did Munch who was on the other end, "I mean I, I will be right there. Shut up John!"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Back to Reality

Olivia sat quietly in the car as Elliot went into a coffee shop. She could not believe what had just happened, _not that girl,_ she thought, _how could I be so stupid?_

Elliot came back and handed her a cup, "Oh El I—"

"It's tea."

"You remembered?"

"Of course."

_Oh, that's how I could be so stupid. _She stared at him with a dorky smile the entire way there. _Wow, he is really cute. Not in a 'aw look at the puppy' kind of way. Maybe cute isn't the right word. Gorgeous! That is certainly fitting. Ha I just had sex with a gorgeous man. Gorgeous. Gorgeous. Gorgeous. Not that many gorgeous men left in New York. Most are gay or married or, oh that's right he is. Or technically he is. I think. The whole dating your ex-wife thing confuses me. Wait, is he dating her? Is he going to break up with her? He just moved back in with his family he wouldn't just pack up and leave. But he also wouldn't cheat on Kathy. Oh my god is he dating me? He can't sleep with me and then expect things to just go back to normal. Wait are we gonna go back to normal? How do we go back to that after--okay I have to stop thinking of this._

"This is really good tea," she blurted outawkwardly.

"Are you feeling okay? You don't—oh, here we are."

She opened the car door and when the air hit her face everything returned to the way it was at every other crime scene. Last night didn't even seem to exist. She asked all the same questions. "Do a rape kit? Fluids present? Sign of struggle? I.D. on the victim? Who found her?"

They rode back to the station together. This time was different however; only thoughts of the crime seemed to go through her mind. They got there and all gathered around the big white board, brainstorming. It was complete cop mode, for everyone except Munch. When they sat down, he rolled his chair over to their desks and placed his head on his hands, leaning in like an eager school girl. "So how was your night?"

Olivia slapped Elliot on the arm, "You told him!"

"No, he figured out."

"Detective you know, we tend to have good deductive skills," he looked up and his face looked stunned, "Incoming."

They both turned to see what he was staring at and there was Kathy walking up.

"Gotta go," Olivia said rushing away urgently.

Munch patted Elliot on the shoulder "Have fun," he said as he pushed himself off the desk, rolling back to his own.

"What's up with them?" Kathy asked.

"Bad pork."

"I thought John was jewish."

"Yeah…he decided…not to be." She stared at him with a puzzled look on her face, "Look Kathy, there's something I need to tell you…"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

My Father the Priest

"Well what is it?" Kathy asked after a very long pause on Elliot's part.

"I ate the bad pork too," he replied as he turned and walked away, shaking his head at the remark he'd just made. He was ashamed, not of what had happened, but of how weak he was. He and Kathy were married for 23 years and he didn't even have the courage to tell her the truth. Well technically 22 years, the whole dating your ex-wife thing always confused him.

Elliot was completely lost; he had no idea what to do. His wife deserved to know, his kids deserved to know. The only problem was that he wasn't sure what exactly there was to know. There was no time to talk things out with Olivia, to see if being with her was even going to go anywhere. Besides, if they did stay together one of them would probably have to leave SVU. Confusion rattled his brain until he couldn't think anymore; he needed someone to talk to. Normally when things went wrong in his life he just turned to Olivia, but this time he had to go to the number two choice. God.

"Bless me father for I have sinned, I, I, oh screw it. You know who I am, and I know who you are, I confess that I slept with a woman out of wedlock now will you please help me."

"Elliot," the priest said while opening the , "It seems you came here for the guidance of a friend, and not that of god."

"I kinda feel that if there is a real god he speaks through everyone, not through prayers recited, or sacraments remembered, but through the heart. And right now I think that's what I need."

"Let's step outside."

It was beautiful outside; he hadn't even noticed it with all of the noise in his head. The sun warmed his face, as he sat on a rock everything—inside and out—seemed to quiet down. There was something about the church that just made everything in his life fade away.

"Father, I know that what I did was a sin, but it wasn't…out of lust or…I don't know, it's just that I'm not sure what to do next."

"You're not married."

"No but I just moved back in with Kathy."

"Wait is that the woman you—"

"No. It was my partner."

"And do you love this woman."

"Yes," he smiled slightly, "yeah, I do. But, I think that's the problem. I don't know if she loves me or if she'll love me two years from now or if we'll have to hide our relationship due to our jobs, and that's only if we actually have a relationship. And what about kids. I have four of them at home waiting for me, what if she wants kids of her own or--"

"Take away everything; take away work and kids and money and what ever else is going on in your life."

"Okay…" he said unsure of what the man was getting at.

"Now tell me, what does your heart want?"

"Olivia."

"Then tell her that. Tell everyone that. Shout it from the roof tops so loud that they'll hear you up in heaven. Because in my opinion, whether you're religious or not, no matter what sins you commit, God will forgive you, even if you deny him. But the one thing that cannot be forgiven is if you deny yourself."

"What if when it comes down to it all, I'm not what she wants?"

"That's a risk you'll have to take," he stood and started to walk back into the building, "oh and Elliot, the other thing God won't forgive is not taking good advice when it is so clearly handed to you."

"Well while were on that subject I think you should seriously consider a new wardrobe. Black is not your color."

On the way out through the back fence he pulled out his phone, "Hey Kathy, I need to talk to you, and the kids, together. You going to be home around five? Okay, see you there."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

My Father the Writer

Olivia was on break, and even though she was going to catch lunch with Elliot so they could talk, he was no where to be found. So instead she stopped by her house to take the shower she hadn't had a chance to take that morning. But as she walked up to her door she saw Simon sitting against it with a book in his hands.

"Go."

"What, no I didn't even get to tell you what—"

"Please, Simon just leave. I'm not going to turn you in, but I can't help you."

"I didn't come here for help, and it was my only stop on the way to the police station to turn myself in so if you want to call 'em up then go ahead, it'll save me a trip."

"Wait," she yelled as he made is way down the hallway, "Come in."

At first they just sat quietly on the couch, staring in two different directions. He was tapping slowly on the book that he still held closely.

"What is that?"

"It's the reason I'm coming forward. It's my—our—dad's journal. There's a lot of stuff about me in here, stuff about you, about your mom, and all the other women he--. His last request was that my mother read this, and track down all the women in it and make sure they knew who he was, and why he did it, and that he was sorry. She never did, because she was just like him. She was embarrassed of people knowing what he did. I'm not gonna be like them."

"That's good. A good start at least," she looked over at the journal, "Can I…"

"Yeah, that's why I came. Sort of. To give it to you, maybe it'll help you understand your life a little more, you know, understand what you come from. He really wasn't a bad person. Also I thought maybe you could do what my mom didn't. If you don't want to I can always—"

"No. No. I do. I'm proud of you, for doing this. How did you get the book anyway?"

"After I ran, I went to my mom. I told her everything, and she wasn't too surprised that I had a sister. That's when she showed me. He kept in a secret little storage place in the closet, with a box filled with the I.D.'s of all the people mentioned in it. She burned all of those. This she kept, I don't know why. But as father always said, 'everything happens for a reason,' and I think this was it."

He got up and hugged her, then put the book down on the table, "I know we just met, and you'll probably never really consider me family, but I love you."

"Hold on, there's something I sort of need to talk about. I don't know anyone else to go to and—"

"Spill."

"Well, you know my partner, Elliot. Yeah well we kinda, slept together last night. Which is confusing enough with us being friends, then you add in co-workers and things start to get crazy. But the whole story, well it's explosive. He just reconciled with his wife and moved back in with her and three of their four kids."

"Wow, and I thought I was a horrible person."

"Hey. Being serious here. Help."

"I can't, but I know someone who can. Read it," he opened the book to the second page, "about halfway down. Let your father do at least one thing for you."

As he walked out the door her eyes started to pour out tears. She wanted so badly to pull out her phone and call Elliot, to run and fall into his arms. He was the one stable thing in her life, and she knew how much she needed him. Anyway she could have him, friend, comforting stranger, anything. There was only one way to get everything in her life back on track, finding him again. So she sat back, and stared at the page before her.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

The Road More Travelled By

At five, Elliot arrived at his house as promised. He hadn't spoken to Olivia all day. When Kathy answered the door her face seemed to glow, her eyes seemed to glitter, she thought she was getting good news. She was cooking dinner for the family; they were all sitting peacefully at the table except for Kathy in her apron running around the kitchen. Everything and everyone seemed so perfect on the surface, like one big happy family. It almost broke his heart.

When everyone got situated at their seats, eating their meals, Kathy looked up from her plate, "So what did you want to tell us sweetie? If it required a family gathering it must be big news."

He dropped his fork, and in the silence of the room awaiting his answer the noise it made hitting his plate was louder than anything he'd ever heard. It rang through his ears like the church bell that sounded off in the garden, "I don't think that me moving back in was such a great idea."

"Why not?" asked Kathleen, tears in her eyes.

"Because I'm not completely here," now he began to cry as well, "I, I, think I'm in love with someone else."

"You think so, really!" Kathy yelled as she stood up from her chair, "Well great timing, we've been separated for two years and the day after you come home you discover this. What did you just meet her last night?"

"No. I've known her for eight years."

"Oh my God. Oh my God! So you finally did it huh? You and your little partner finally had sex after all these years?"

"Olivia?" Kathy asked looking over at her father.

He closed his eyes, as tears poured out of them, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

"Sorry? That makes it all better."

He stood up and walked towards her, putting his hand on her shoulder, "Kathy I—"

"Don't! Don't touch me," she screamed as he pulled away, "Just get out!"

He left, slamming the door on his way out. As soon as it closed Kathy fell back into her chair and started sobbing. Her children gathered around to comfort her and they all stayed there, in the dining room, crying all night.

Elliot walked all the way to his car before he noticed that it had begun to rain. It wasn't until he saw water coming down on his windshield that it came to his attention that he was soaking wet. He put his hands on the steering wheel, about to leave, when he pulled them back and hit it as hard as he could. Then he drove into the rainy streets.

He pulled up to Olivia's apartment, ran up the stairs and knocked on the door. There was no answer. He whipped out his cell phone and dialed her number frantically; his fingers were trembling as they pressed down on the keys.

"Where the hell are you? Me, I'm at your apartment. No, No, meet me at Central Park," he hung up and was already half way to his car.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Risk

"Benson," Olivia answered as she was driving, "Elliot? Wait where the hell are you? Well I'm on my way to your place, here I'll turn around and see you there. Central Park, you do realize it's pouring outside? Hello? Elliot? Elliot!" she sighed as she closed the phone and put it on the seat beside her.

She tried her hardest to see through the windshield at the road but the rain was coming down fast and hard. She saw the exit to Central park and took it. When she got there he was already standing right in front of her car, drenched in water?

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Taking a risk!" they both had to yell because the rain was so loud, "You?"

"Same, you see, somebody once said that when someone great comes along, you have to do anything you can to keep them, even if that means changing everything you know! Because if their worth changing for, then only good can from it, and maybe the risk itself is the thing that'll change you the most!"

"Wow, that's deep who said that?"

"Well, I paraphrased a little! But," now she was closer to him, with her arms around his neck, "My father."

"I thought he was dead?"

"He is, but I read it."

"Well you know what my father said?"

"Okay, he's definitely dead. Unless he wrote some sort of secret journal

that--"

He laughed as he backed away yelling, "My father as in my priest!"

"Oh. Well, what did he say?!"

"To do this!" he climbed up on top of the roof of the ranger's station and opened his arms out wide, "I love Olivia Benson!" he screamed on top of his lungs. Just then the rain started to slow down and his voice seemed louder, "I love Olivia Benson! You here that?" he said looking up at the sky, "I love her!"

He got down and walked over towards her, holding her face in his hands, "I, I love you." They smiled at each other, their eyes meeting, as the rain continued to run down their faces, "I love you."

As they kissed and made their way to the ground she whispered, "I love you too."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

You're Opinion My Child

It was still dark outside, as he lay unsure of where he was. His body was wet, on top of dewy grass, and below a coat drenched in rain. As his mind began to wake up, he felt the presence lying next to him, and everything came back. "Olivia, Olivia we have to get up."

"No…" she whined, rolling over, "where the hell am I?"

"Central Park. Come on, we should go," he said, looking down at his watch, "it's four o'clock."

"Fine," she scoffed at him. They both got dressed and walked towards their cars, "I'll meet you back at the station."

"Yeah. Hey Liv, I think this is gonna work."

"You better hope it does or you're out of a job."

"What? Why me?"

"I left last time."

He laughed and drove back to his apartment. He showered and changed before driving to the station. When he arrived, his daughter was sitting at his desk, "Maureen, what are you doing here?" he asked happily surprised.

She walked over and hugged her dad, "You know what I'm doing here Dad. Mom called me last night. So?" she asked looking around, "Where's the girlfriend?"

"Look Maureen I--."

"It's okay Dad, you don't have to explain it to me. I didn't come here to yell at you or tell you that you made a mistake. To tell you the truth I think you did the right thing."

He pulled a chair over and sat, "Really? I find that a little hard to believe."

"Why?"

"Ah, because I cheated on your mother and than broke up with her."

"Maybe I'm the only one in the family who thinks this but you shouldn't have moved back in in the first place. You didn't do it for Mom, you did it for Kathleen and the twins. And maybe a year ago I wouldn't have said this but I understand why, I get it now. You are a great dad, and you're afraid you'll loose your kids if you aren't living with them. Well don't take this the wrong way but you weren't around much when you were living there. And we still love you. Well at least I do, the others sound pretty pissed."

"Oh my god you're all grown up," he said laughing, "but thanks, and I'm really glad to see you all mature like this."

"Why does it shock you that I actually have adult opinions?"

"Yes actually it does since it wasn't that long ago that I had to yell at you for wearing pants that showed your ass every time you bent over."

"Hey, that was the first time I think you've ever said 'ass' instead of 'tushy' to me."

"Yeah well that's what happens when you get to be a grown up."

"I'm pretty sure theirs more to it."

"Not much," he said and chuckled slightly, "So, Maureen how is your mother really doing because—" he was interrupted by his phone ringing, "Stabler…Dani?"


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Visiting

Olivia was on her way home when she realized the phone still sitting in the passenger's seat. She received a voicemail from her brother asking her to visit him. She quickly turned and headed towards the Warrant's Station.

"Hey," a uniformed officer said as she took Olivia into a cell, "You've got a detective from SVU here to see you."

"Olivia!" Simon exclaimed happily as he looked up to see his sister, "Hi, I, I can't believe you came!"

"Well, I wasn't gonna let you down. Besides, I don't know, it's weird, I just met you. And I miss you."

"I know the feeling. So…what happened? Did you take dad's advice?"

"Yeah."

"Didn't work out?" he asked sympathetically.

"No, it worked out great. I just, I feel a little horrible because I told him I wouldn't talk to you again but that was before…everything. Why are you staying at a cell here? Didn't they indite you yet?"

"Nope. Some psycho chick can't figure out why I turned myself in, thinks I am trying to 'fool the system' or something. Plus, Good ol' Captain Miller's on her way down here to ship me back to New Jersey herself."

"Excuse me," said a female voice in a strange accent behind Olivia, "but what does Manhattan SVU want with him, if he raped anyone in New York he'll have to be charged for it separately."

When she turned around and recognized the face she wanted to curl up and die. It was Dani Beck. "Oh, what, um, no. He didn't um, well he—"

"I'm just giving her some information involving a case a friend was connected to."

"Is that true?" Dani asked.

"Yeah," she turned around, hoping the conversation would just be over.

"You know I used to work at SVU, and I swear you look so familiar, did we ever meet?"

"No. I don't believe so, I'm ah…Olivia Benson."

"Dani Beck," they shook hands, "You work with Elliot right?"

"Yeah, wait; you're the one who was his partner while I was with the Feds."

"Yeah, yeah."

"Oh…" Simon said leaning back against the wall, "So that's why you—man this just got interesting."

"Shut up Simon," Olivia said with the fakest smile stretched across her face.

"Or you'll do what?"

"Charge you with every god damn unsolved rape in the past 5 years."

"Oh yeah well then I'll just have to kill myself, and you know that once I'm in Hell I'll tell dad it was ALL your fault."

"How about I save you the trouble and kill you right now? After all, that's what family is for."

"I'm sorry, but am I missing something here?" Dani asked perplexedly.

"No." Olivia snapped.

"Yes," Simon then retorted, "were you and your old partner ever…involved?"

"SIMON!" Olivia yelled, looking at Dani "You don't have to answer that."

"You don't think that," he replied, "See I didn't ask because I wanted to know the answer, I asked because you did. You're just too chicken to do it yourself."

"Did you just call me chicken?"

While the two were bickering Dani slowly backed away. By the look on her face she could tell that Olivia wasn't just there as a cop, but there was something more to the story, she picked up the phone at her desk and called someone.

"Yes I called you chicken, a spineless chicken!"

"Oh yeah, well you're stupid!"

"You're stupider!"

"Oh my god, do you realize that we sound like we are like five years old right now?"

"Ah…just makin' up for some lost time. You know, I think if I had known you when I was growing up, I'd probably be a much better person."

"You are a good person, you just have some problems. You'll work things out. I know it."

"Oh yeah, before you met me, what would you have said if a rapist told you he'd been cured?"

"That's different. You know it is."

"No, I don't. What if I can't change?"

"You will, I believe in you."

They looked at each other, each in a moment of understanding for one another. Olivia reached out to hold his hand but was jolted back when she heard Elliot behind her, "Want to explain what in the hell is going on here!?"


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

Why

"Well, are you gonna inform me on why you're in here with someone I thought you weren't even talking to, why you're harassing a friend of mine, why you're totally blowing off work or are you just stand there like an idiot."

"Hey look man," Simon said standing between his sister and Elliot, "I called her, and asked her to come. And as for the 'harassment' that was again all me. Hate me, not her."

"Oh trust me I already hate you…man."

"Why?"

He felt the rage building up slowly inside him as he let out a small laugh, "why," snapping, he pushed the man up against the wall, placing his hand across his throat, "because you're a rapist, and your-"

"Elliot!" Olivia yelled grabbing him by the shoulders, "get off of him!"

"Whoa what's going on in here?!" Dani asked as she ran up with two armed officers who pulled Elliot away, "Are you insane?"

"He just has anger issues," Simon said sharply, "don't worry buddy, you'll work through it."

"You're not helping," Olivia said trying to hold back her laughter.

"I'm your little brother; I'm supposed to be a pain in the ass."

"Oh, and you're making up for the lost time…"

"See she gets me," Simon said smiling.

The joking between Olivia and Simon pissed him off even further, he ran out. Dani looked at Olivia, expecting her to go as well, then followed him out. As she stood there, motionless, her brother said to her, "well what the hell are you waiting for? GO!"

She walked out to see Elliot and Dani standing in the parking lot talking. "I was gonna tell you."

"What?" he asked as they both looked up.

"I was going to tell you that he came to me and told me he was turning himself in, that's why I was on my way to your apartment last night. If you hadn't have called and asked me to participate in your ridiculous Tom Cruise outburst-which granted was pretty romantic-then you would have known, and you would have been with me when I received the call from him. And I know you're pissed, and I'm not denying you the right to be. But what I said the other night, I was right wasn't I? Something ALWAYS comes between us."

"I don't want that to happen."

"Then don't let it," they took a step towards each other, "Elliot you already know me, you already trust me, you know I'm not going anywhere. One stupid thing shouldn't do this to us."

"I agree," he turned back to see Dani still standing, watching them and an awkward silence fell over. He looked at Olivia and knew that she understood what he wanted her to do.

"Look…um…Dani, I'm sorry for this whole thing. Can we make it up to you…maybe over…dinner?"

"Yeah, sure I guess so."

Olivia turned to Elliot and whispered, "Yeah, this'll end well."


End file.
